Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
The San Francisco area woodworker Arthur Espenet Carpenter was one of the most celebrated figures in the postwar American Studio Furniture movement. Like George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle and other craftsmen of the era, Carpenter built furniture both as a means of creative expression and for the simple personal fulfillment of making a thing well. The excellence of their work stood in high relief against the mass-produced goods made of synthetic materials that became prevalent in the mid-20th century. Born in New York City during the Jazz Age, Carpenter earned a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and initially intended to become an accountant, like his father. But after serving four years in the United States Navy in the Pacific during World War II, Carpenter had a change of heart about entering the business world. Back in New York, he became an Asian-arts dealer but finally found a true sense of direction when visiting the “Good Design” shows held in that era at the Museum of Modern Art. Carpenter was particularly taken with the hand-turned wooden bowls by James Prestini and decided he wanted to make objects himself. To get far from New York, he drove to San Francisco at age 28, bought a lathe and, with the help of a G.I. Bill small-business stipend, opened a woodworking shop in the Mission District. Carpenter started out making bowls, sold through local high-end retailers such as Geary’s. His skills improved, and within a few years Carpenter had moved to the coastal town of Bolinas, California, where he built furniture on commission. His national reputation was sealed when in 1972 — somewhat to Carpenter’s own surprise — his designs were shown by the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in the exhibition “Woodworks,” alongside those of Nakashima, Maloof, Castle and the Philadelphia-area craftsman Wharton Esherick. Carpenter defined a new design aesthetic now known as the “California roundover” — a style characterized by flowing lines and gently-contoured edges that make wood feel almost supple to the touch. The graceful and comfortable Wishbone chair, so named for the tapered supports that form its legs, is Carpenter’s signature design. The chairs, typically made of black walnut, are usually priced in the range of $20,000 a piece. Because of its simplicity and economy of materials, Carpenter’s furniture works well in any informal, unfussy decor — though it is particularly striking in a modern environment. As you will see on these pages, the work of Arthur Espenet Carpenter is both friendly and exquisite. The quality of its craftsmanship is impeccable, and it exudes the gentle warmth of the lovingly handmade object.
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Creator: Arthur Espenet Carpenter
1967 Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Oakland, CA
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table
This exquisite dining table is characterized by its long rectangular top with gently curved side...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Walnut
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Three-Legged Occasional Table
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Chicago, IL
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Three-Legged Occasional Table in solid birch trapezoidal top with turned oak legs that pierce the top and are exposed as a design detail.
Signed on underside...
Category
1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Burl
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Teardrop Table in Solid Walnut
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Chicago, IL
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Teardrop Table in Solid Flamed Walnut
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Walnut
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut & Enameled Steel Dining Table, 1987, Signed
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exquisite dining table (or monumental center table) by Arthur Espenet Carpenter, signed by the artist underneath: 'Espenet 8706', dating this work to 1987, features a monumental...
Category
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Steel
Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Unique Double-Trunk Table Desk
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Chicago, IL
Arthur Espenet Carpenter, unique double-trunk table desk.
This extraordinary table is unique to Espenet's work as it deviates from the traditional rectilinear form with its well-f...
Category
1980s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Ebony, Mahogany
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Table
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in Chicago, IL
Arthur “Espenet” carpenter dining table, solid walnut hand carved details with 2 leaves
[Signed ESPENET ‘70].
Category
1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Walnut
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut Table with Drawer
By Arthur Espenet Carpenter
Located in San Mateo, CA
Side table in walnut by Arthur Espenet Carpenter, (1920-2006). This table has a single drawer below the top. The solid walnut sides and top are joined with dovetail joints. The runne...
Category
1970s American Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Tables
Materials
Walnut
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Arthur Espenet Carpenter tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Arthur Espenet Carpenter tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Arthur Espenet Carpenter tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original tables by Arthur Espenet Carpenter were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider tables by and Michael Coffey. Prices for Arthur Espenet Carpenter tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,500 and can go as high as $92,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $24,250.